1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a trim assembly for a vehicle, which has a gathered top cover made of natural leather or the like and a method for manufacturing the same.
2. Description of Related Art
In a door lining or trim panel for a vehicle, a trim assembly (pad) having a gathered top cover made of natural leather or the like to improve luxurious feeling for aesthetic appearance has been known.
FIG. 11 shows a trim assembly (pad) having a gathered top cover according to an example of an earlier technology. Such an earlier door lining assembly (pad) or a trim panel assembly (pad) 80 for a door lining or a trim panel for a vehicle is manufactured by gather-sewing peripheral portions of a top cover 81 to form gather-sewn portions 82, sewing the peripheral portions of the top cover 81 to form sewn portions 85 on peripheral portions of one-piece cardboard or pasteboard 84 to a room side surface to which polyurethane foam 83 for a cushion member is fastened, turning back both of the peripheral portions, of the top cover 81 and the cardboard or pasteboard 84 to form turned back portions 87 so as to wrap the peripheral portions of a resin attachment base 86, and subsequently bonding both of the turned peripheral portions, of the top cover 81 and the cardboard or pasteboard 84 to a body side surface of the resin attachment base 86.
FIG. 12 shows a trim assembly (pad) having a gathered top cover according to another embodiment of an earlier technology. Another earlier door lining assembly (pad) or trim panel assembly (pad) 90 for a door lining or a trim panel for a vehicle is manufactured by gather-sewing peripheral portions of a top cover 91 to form gather-sewn portions 92, sewing belt shaped cardboard or pasteboard 93 on the gather-sewn peripheral portions of the top cover to form sewn portions 94, the belt shaped cardboard or pasteboard 93 be divided into plurality, turning back the peripheral portions of the top cover 91 to a body side surface of a resin attachment base 96 to form turned back portions 97 so as to wrap the peripheral portions of the resin attachment base 96, on the room side surface of which polyurethane foam 95 is fastened, and bonding the turned peripheral portions of the top cover 91 on the body side surface of the resin attachment base 96.
However, there are problems in above-described earlier trim assemblies for a door lining or a trim panel for a vehicle from a manufacturing standpoint.
In the earlier door lining assembly or trim panel assembly 80 for a door lining or a trim panel for a vehicle, as shown in FIG. 11, when turning back both of the peripheral portions, of the top cover 81 and the cardboard or pasteboard 84 to the body side surface of the resin attachment base 86 to form the turned back portions 87 so as to wrap the peripheral portions of the resin attachment base 86, and bonding both of the turned peripheral portions, of the top cover 81 and the cardboard or the pasteboard 84 on the peripheral portions on the body side surface of the resin attachment base 86, because the peripheral portions of the resin attachment base 86 has curve for the purpose of aesthetic appearance, it is difficult to turn back both of the peripheral portions, of the top cover 81 and the cardboard or the pasteboard 84 to form the turned back portions 87 so as to wrap the curved peripheral portions of the resin attachment base 86. As the result, a shape of the peripheral portions of the door lining assembly or the trim panel assembly 80 is not stylish. Further, when the cardboard or the pasteboard 84 is turned back to the body side surface of the resin attachment base 86 to put the curved peripheral portions of the resin attachment base 86 between the body side surface of the cardboard or the pasteboard 84 and turned peripheral portions of the cardboard or the pasteboard 84, because undesired wrinkles are made, shapes of gathers in lengthwise on the top cover 81 are floating.
In the another earlier door lining assembly or the trim panel assembly 90 for a door lining or a trim panel for a vehicle, as shown in FIG. 12, shapes of gathers in lengthwise on the top cover 91 are floating when positions of the upper and lower belt shaped cardboard or the pasteboard 93 bonded on the peripheral portions of the resin attachment base 96 are not trued up. It is difficult to bond the belt shaped cardboard or pasteboard 93 on the peripheral portions of the resin attachment base 96, with truing up the positions of the upper and lower belt shaped cardboard or pasteboard 93 completely, because sizes and shapes of members are not uniform and the door lining assembly or the trim panel assembly 90 is manufactured by handiwork.